Niko Kari thanked his Motopark team for giving him a great car as the sixteen-year-old Finnish driver claimed second place in the Masters of F3 event at Zandvoort on Sunday.
The Red Bull-backed teenager felt it was ‘not a bad weekend’ even though he was unsatisfied with finishing in the runners-up position behind team-mate Joel Eriksson, especially after making a good start from third on the grid and almost passing his Swedish team-mate around the outside of turn one before being forced to fall back behind him.
Kari believes the team’s confidence will be boosted by the result at Zandvoort, with all three podium places being filled by Motopark drivers, with Eriksson and Kari being followed home by Sergio Sette Câmara.
“I’m not the happiest guy,” said Kari. “I am never happy to be second but you have to say that it was not a bad weekend at all really. Big thanks to the team who gave me a great car for the final, they really worked and I think we have made a step with the car that we can carry forward.
“I made a pretty good start and almost had the lead going into the first corner but just couldn’t do it. I got second though and then I was chasing and everyone knows how hard that is at Zandvoort. If you are within a second of the guy in front you lose too much downforce, 1.5 seconds and it’s OK but of course you can’t pass from back there.
“So a bit frustrating in the end but a great weekend for the team and I really have to thank them for turning things around as we haven’t been so happy at the recent races. This sure is a step forward and good for the confidence for all of us.”
